Photo File: Tinubu and Maryam Sanda

Public debate has continued to trail President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to review and modify the list of inmates granted presidential clemency, with analysts describing the move as “a correction that may send the wrong signal.”

Political analyst, Bayo Ayanga, who was a guest on “Frontline”, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 Fm, Ilese-Ijebu, noted that, though the recommendation originated from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), “the buck still stops at the President’s table.”

“It’s not as if the President made the list himself, but he signed it. The President cannot deny knowledge of those names because he alone has the constitutional power to grant such pardons,” he said.

The controversy began after an earlier list of 175 pardoned convicts sparked mixed reactions nationwide. Critics, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, described the action as one that “erodes the moral authority of leadership and emboldens lawlessness.”

Following the backlash, the Presidency released a new gazette revising some of the clemency approvals.

Among those affected by the review is Maryam Sanda, whose death sentence was reduced to 12 years imprisonment “on compassionate grounds” after serving six years and eight months at the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre, Abuja.

This decision, has sparked and continued to generate public debate.

However, Bayo stressed that, the correction could portray the President as yielding to public pressure.

“Even if the first list was wrong, the President should have stood by his decision, Now, Nigerians may begin to think every outcry must influence government action, even when the masses have little or no information.”

Speaking further, Bayo also linked the controversy to a wider pattern of inconsistency in government policies. He pointed out that frequent reversals of decisions have become a hallmark of the current administration, creating confusion among citizens.

“This is not the first time we’re seeing policy contradictions,” “The government often announces a decision today and revises it tomorrow, which undermines public confidence,” he stated.

Some listeners who called in to share their opinions, argued that while leaders are bound to make mistakes, the President remains ultimately accountable for any decision taken under his authority.

Meanwhile, other listeners also questioned whether the revised clemency list passed through the Council of State, as required by law. They expressed concern that the new approvals might not have undergone due process.

One caller noted that, “The President cannot grant such prerogative without the Council of State’s approval”. “There’s no record that a new meeting was convened to ratify this latest list.”

The discussion later shifted to other national issues, including education and security. Some callers, in their contribution to the discussion topic, commended the federal government’s recent release of ₦2.3 billion for university salary arrears but urged more sustainable action to resolve the long-standing 2009 ASUU agreement.

They also criticised the repeated industrial actions in tertiary institutions, calling for a comprehensive review of university funding and autonomy.

On security, the panel discussed the confirmation of new service chiefs, urging them to bring fresh strategies to combat the nation’s insecurity challenges.

Listeners called in to, praise the military for its efforts despite limited manpower and resources but noted that the armed forces are overstretched, handling roles beyond their constitutional mandate.

A caller, while airing their views, lamented that, “The military is doing policing, community enforcement, and even domestic dispute interventions, “This shows the system’s imbalance.”

The conversation concluded with calls for a constitutional amendment to allow for state policing, which, according to participants, could significantly improve Nigeria’s internal security framework.